Saving Savannah
by SavRose
Summary: Two sisters are trying to find what's left of their family when they stumble across a band of survivors. This is the story of Savannah and her quest to save what's left of the world she knew. Rated M for language.
1. The Man on the Radio

It was a typical Georgian summer day—hot, muggy, and not a single forgiving breeze to be found. Thank god the windows still worked in this hunk of junk. Otherwise, it'd be even more unbearable, if that was even possible. Savannah rested her left elbow on the windowsill of the Ford Explorer she was driving, propping her chin in the palm of her hand. It had been about a month since she and Sadie, the little ragamuffin passed out in the passenger seat, had begun circling Atlanta. They had spent their time scavenging what they could and looking for a safe place to hole up. So far, no luck. Just the open road and the horribly muggy heat.

"Pretty sure hell is cooler than this fuckin' place," Savannah mumbled, brushing a couple of strands of hair out of her face. "Why couldn't the world go to crap in winter, huh?" The A.C. had busted a few hundred miles back, and neither sister was keen on raiding a garage just for Freon. No, they'd only risk it if there was a bigger prize to be had. It could wait. In the meantime, however, Savannah was the definition of miserable. She glanced over at Sadie, who had been leaning up against the window for the past hour or so, slack jawed and drooling. Savannah smiled. She looked so normal, sitting there with her face smushed up against the window. It was almost as if they were driving to the beach, or to the movie theater, instead of away from their last failed hidey hole. The smile slipped off her face and her eyes flickered back to the road. It had been perfect: a two storied farm house in the middle of a plot of open land. Easy to defend, but easy to see. They couldn't have spent more than a week there before trouble came sniffing around. Sure, the walkers would come by occasionally, but they were easy enough to deal with. The fence confused most of 'em. Those that had managed to make it to the house proper had been met with boarded up windows and doors. But that's where her mistake had been; she hadn't boarded up the second story windows. She stupidly hadn't thought about any threat other than walkers. She hadn't taken into account how desperate people could be.

Savannah's fingers danced over the bandages on her left forearm. They'd been lucky that they'd gotten away with only that much damage. Still, it was bad enough that she had to get Sadie to stitch it up, poor girl. And here she thought that her sewing skills would only come in handy on clothes. The angry gash had scared the crap outta Sadie. Blood had gotten everywhere and they had wasted a lot of gauze and antiseptic on it. Now, their first aid kit was dangerously low and they weren't about to stop to stock up until plenty of distance had been put between them and that particular group of survivors. Savannah's lips set themselves into a stern line. They'd be a lot more careful next time—there was no way that she'd let Sadie get into a situation that dangerous again. She may have acted tough, but she was still a kid and Savannah knew it. It was her job to protect the thirteen year old at all costs, and there were no retries.

Daryl sat on top of the RV, his crossbow resting on his knees. This was stupid. He should have been out hunting, not sitting on top of this old heap, under a gaudy umbrella, babysitting these motherfuckers. His eyebrows furrowed in distaste. Ever since their escape from the CDC, everyone was on edge and the last thing he wanted to do was spend more time in camp than he had to. One more asinine comment and he was going to lose it. He glowered as he watched Shane stomp from one end of the camp to the other, with no apparent purpose. He had been losing it since Rick showed up, but after the explosion, his temper had been on a short fuse and Daryl was plenty willing to ignite it. Shane needed to be knocked down a few pegs, sure, but what did it matter to him if he got on everyone else's nerves? He was tense enough without having to give a fuck about these assholes. What did he owe them anyway? Daryl wiped his brow with a dingy scrap of cloth from his back pocket.

"Fuckin' sun. What I wouldn't give for a good ol' thunderstorm," he grumbled as he shifted in the uncomfortable lawn chair. It was hotter than a whore in church and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. "Figures I'd be stuck up here, playin' the damn babysitter. Not like sumthin' is gonna be movin' fast in this goddamn heat."

As if on cue, he spotted something glinting in the distance. Quickly picking up the binoculars, all his griping forgotten, he leaned forward in the chair and stared in the direction of the old country road. Not many cars had been on it, but what few there were, they had already siphoned all the gas out of them. It was meager at best, but better than nothing. For a moment, he thought that he had just seen a reflection off of one of the old cars, but then he caught sight of it from behind a tree: a green Ford Explorer speeding down the road, weaving around the vehicles and couple of walkers littering the asphalt. This was going to be an interesting watch after all.

There were a few cars here and there, and even fewer walkers, which was a very good sign. Savannah checked the odometer—they had to be at least thirty miles away from the farm house and now was as good a time as any to try the CB. Taking the wheel gingerly with her left hand, she reached between the seats, turned up the volume, and grabbed the mouth piece. With a quick breath, she broke the silence.

"Is there anyone out there?" Pause. No answer. Undeterred, she continued. "If anyone is out there, give us a sign." It wouldn't do anyone any favors if she made it sound like there was only two of them, let alone two sisters on their lonesome. That would invite trouble with a capital T. It didn't matter much anyway—no one ever responded to her broadcasts, but that wasn't really the point anymore. She had long since given up on anyone responding and instead used it as a way to keep herself grounded. If she kept a fragment of hope alive, then she would be able to keep it together for Sadie. They had to keep hope alive if they were to find the rest of their family, no matter how long they had been separated. So these broadcasts were a kind of catharsis in an otherwise tough as nails world. The last thing she expected was for the radio to crackle in response.

"Who are ya?" the deep voice demanded in a harsh whisper. In her shock, Savannah swerved to the side of the road, startling Sadie awake. She stood on the brakes and stared at the CB in disbelief. She had been making these broadcasts for a month and not once had someone responded! Now, here she was, sitting in her Explorer in the middle of butt fuck nowhere, and there was someone on the radio. It crackled again. "I said, who the hell are ya?" Savannah snapped out of her daze and scrambled for the mouthpiece as Sadie's eyes grew to the size of saucers.

"That's not important. Who are **you**?" She couldn't let her excitement make her reckless. She couldn't let on that there was only two of them, especially when she didn't know anything about this mysterious radio man. Sadie was inching forward on her seat, as if being a few inches closer would help the answer be any more favorable than it would have been otherwise.

"Nuh uh. That's not how it works, lil' lady. What're ya doing out on the country road?" Savannah started. He could see them? That meant that he was relatively nearby, and that thought in and of itself was disconcerting. At least now she knew that there was someone out there and she would be sure not to let her guard down for a while. She glanced at Sadie, whose complexion had drained of all color. She remembered what happened the last time they met people. Savannah steeled herself.

"You can see us? Where are you?" There was a pregnant silence in the car as both sisters stared at the CB in the console eagerly. Sadie's small hand crept into Savannah's and gripped it tightly. She knew then and there that she wouldn't be making any further contact with whoever was on the radio. She couldn't risk Sadie again.

"Yeah, I can see ya 'nough to tell ya that there are a coupla' walkers on yer ass. I'm in the woods a ways." Sadie's head whipped around to stare at the walkers rapidly approaching through the rearview window. Savannah instead leaned out the window and squinted into the distance, trying to find any evidence of this man on the radio.

Only when Sadie screeched, "Sav, they're right on us!" did she pull her head in and roll up the windows. She kicked the vehicle into reverse and mowed down the walkers. With one last glance into the trees, she slammed the car into drive and sped off down the road, trying to put as much distance as she could between them and the man in the woods. He could only be bad news and Savannah had had enough of that lately.

Daryl watched keenly as a shock of red hair poked out of the driver's side window and a young face seemed to stare directly at him, scrutinizing. He knew that there was no way that she could have seen him from that distance, but it was unnerving nonetheless. Something had caught her attention inside the car, and suddenly it shot backwards, flattening the walkers. Just as quickly, it gunned forwards and tore off down the road like a bat outta hell. Looked like she wasn't going to be taking any chances. He watched the Explorer round a curve in the road and disappear in the tree line.

Leaning down and turning the CB volume back up to normal, Daryl leaned back just in time for Dale to peak over the top of the RV, ready to take the next shift. As Daryl climbed down the ladder, he swung his crossbow over his shoulder and marched confidently into the woods. It was time to go hunting.


	2. The Pursuit

Savannah gunned the Explorer, the engine revving and tires squealing. She had to get the hell outta there. She and Sadie had been on their own for a month, not seeing hide nor hair of anyone, and suddenly everyone and their goddamn brother shows up outta fuckin' nowhere? Unbelievable. She had the steering wheel in a white knuckled grip as she drove, not bothering to swerve around the Walkers, the car jouncing as she flattened them. After about five minutes of her reckless driving, Savannah slowed and spared a glance at her sister. Sadie had a death grip on the door handle and was staring out the window wide eyed.

"Aw crap, Sadie. I'm sorry," Savannah mumbled, running a hand through her curly hair. She leaned over and patted Sadie's knee reassuringly and smiled crookedly. "Come on kid, it'll be okay." Her smile fell when she didn't respond, still staring out the window. Savannah kicked the car into park and leaned over, shaking Sadie's shoulder softly. "Sadie? Hun? You okay?" She was starting to panic- she had thought that she had taken the whole farmhouse incident remarkably well, but maybe this was the final straw. Was she finally breaking down?

"There was someone on the radio." It was so soft that Savannah thought for a moment that she had imagined it. Looking at the young girl, her eyes widened. Sadie slowly turned to face her, her eyes brimming with tears. It was obvious that she was fighting the urge to cry. Reaching out, she pulled her little sister into a rough embrace, burying her head into her curly brown hair. "He sounded just like Dad…" came the muffled sob from her chest. Savannah's heart constricted and she hugged Sadie tighter.

"I know, hun. I know. But it wasn't him, okay? He knows what car we have. He knows what we sound like. He'd know it was us, I promise." Savannah pulled away a little and angled the girl's face so she could see it. Wiping away the tears, she smiled at Sadie, trying to reassure her. The last couple of days had been really hard on them both, and she knew that they needed to take a breather. "How about this, kiddo? We find somewhere we can rest. I don't know about you, but I could use with a bit o' shut eye." At this, she feigned a jaw cracking yawn. A small smile crept onto Sadie's face and she nodded. Savannah grinned widely, her smile infectious. "Sweet! Now let's find somewhere worthy of us, dear sister!" she exclaimed with a flourish before the Explorer jolted forward, Sadie letting out a squeal of laughter.

Daryl slipped through the trees quietly. He had been tracking that damned deer for a few miles, but still no luck. The pickings had been slim lately, and it pissed him off. He'd be gone for days at a time, coming back to camp with nothing more to show for it than a few fucking squirrels. Not that anyone appreciated how much work it took to get even that. He scowled. He didn't know why he did this for those good for nothing sons of bitches. They complained when he brought back what meat he could find, and they complained when he didn't. He should just let them starve.

There was a quick movement to his right, and he turned on his heel, crossbow at the ready. Inching forward silently, he strained to hear a noise- anything. The movement had been too fast for a Walker, but that wasn't the only danger in these woods. He hadn't had any trouble during his hunting trips, but he knew what was out there. He had been out farther than he had dared to go before, stubbornly refusing to accept that he would head back to camp empty handed. A thunderstorm had opened up right on top of him sending him scrambling for over. It wasn't the rain that had bothered him; it was the thunder- it was so loud and booming that you couldn't hear a damned thing over it. If there was any time that a Walker could have snuck up on him, it would have been then. He swung his crossbow over his shoulder and scrambled up the nearest tree, trying to find a big enough branch for him to perch on until the storm was over. He had been up there for hours, his legs cramping and water sloughing off of him in rivers. He had almost made up his mind to climb down and head back to camp when he saw a couple of figures shuffling along about fifty yards away.

Daryl squinted, trying to see what exactly was going on- their movements were too purposeful for Walkers, but something was off. Really fucking off. As they came closer, he pressed himself further into the tree- whatever the hell they were up to, he wanted no part in it. As the pair came closer, he saw they had something slung between the two of them.

"That had better not be my damn deer…" he grumbled to himself. If these were the motherfuckers who were taking all his game, he'd give them a piece of his mind. The figures stumbled and one of them dropped their end of the load. The other hissed at them before scrambling to pick up their burden, the black tarp that had been protecting it, slipping off a little. What Daryl saw turned his blood to ice. It had been a person. Not a Walker, but a person who had been gutted just as he would have gutted a deer. The tarp was quickly replaced, but he couldn't get the image out of his head. The gaping maw that had been the torso was open to the elements, the neck and wrists slashed. The eyes, though, were the most haunting of all. Those vacant eyes stared straight into his soul, freezing him to his perch in the tree. Those grey lifeless eyes looking straight through him, seeing everything that he was- just like that girl today.

What the hell had she been doing? Anyone could see her on that road. And making that broadcast? Dumber than a fucking doornail, that one. The key to survival was to go unnoticed, Daryl knew that much. Go unnoticed by the Walkers, and go unnoticed by other people. All the problems that they'd had came from being so goddamn conspicuous and he didn't like it one bit. That's why the CDC and Fort Benning were such idiotic ideas. If they'd just stayed in the woods like he'd wanted, they wouldn't have lost as many people and wasted so much damn gas. He scowled again. But no one listened to Daryl Dixon. Oh no. They listened to Officer Friendly and his damn lap dog. All he was good for was for bringing back meat.

Inching forward, Daryl spotted his prey. A doe was standing beside the road, looking around warily. He froze and waited. If he moved, it'd bolt and he'd be shit outta luck again. Slowing his breathing, he focused and cocked an arrow. If he played his cards right, he could bag this deer and be eating well for a while. His finger caressed the trigger and the second before he squeezed, the doe darted off.

"Damnit!" he hissed, snarling at where the deer had been. He had been close- so fucking close! He swung his head around to see what had spooked the stupid animal: a Walker a few hundred yards down the road. He was so angry, he stalked over to it and shot it straight between the eyes. Pulling out his arrow, he kicked it viciously in the ribs, only relenting when he heard a sickening crack of bone. Panting and covered in blood spatter, Daryl looked around. He was on the country road, but something was different; all the Walkers, save the one he had beaten to a pulp, were damn road kill. They were plastered to the cracking cement.

"What the fuck?" Daryl turned in a full circle. His eyes widened. It had been that girl in her green Explorer. "She mowed 'em down tryin' to get away from me." He grinned as he walked along, staring at the Walkers, tire tread on their skin clear as day. "She fuckin' mowed 'em down! Ha ha!" The guffawed, standing in the middle of the road. There must have been thirty in this bit of road alone. "Not bad, Red. Not bad at all," he mumbled , slightly impressed. Grinning, he took off down the road. He had to see how many she hit.

Savannah and Sadie had only been driving about five minutes before they spotted a run down motel by the side of the road. It was one of those shady places that had charged by the hour, with cracks running down the walls and stains that you tried not to look at too closely. Pulling in to the parking lot, Savannah angled the Explorer between two other vehicles, trying to hide it from view. She didn't want any unexpected visitors. She reached back behind her seat and pulled out a dinged up metal baseball bat and motioned for Sadie to stay where she was. Savannah always made Sadie stay back while she cleared the area. It was a lot less stressful, knowing that the girl was safe in the car instead of having to worry about her being bitten.

She slipped through the door, "OFFICE" emblazoned on it in faded red letters. Papers littered the floor, old bloodstains marring the dirty counter. Leaning over the edge, Savannah reached for the nearest key, hands careful to avoid the blood spatter. Just as she pocketed the key, a groan came from further in the office. Setting her lips into a hard line, she jumped the counter and rounded the corner. A Walker, who had obviously been a call girl, stumbled towards Savannah, her rotting legs tripping in her sparkly red stilettos. Swinging the bat, the Walker's head crushed in on itself and she fell to the ground in a heap of sequins and gore. Wiping her bat on a curtain, Savannah walked out of the office and cleared each of the dozen rooms. There weren't many Walkers to be found- just a couple that had been trapped inside, too dumb to make it out of their rooms.

Fishing the key out of her pocket, she led Sadie into the dingy brown room. The sheets were a mess and the floor was covered in cigarette burns, but it would do. Flinging out a sleeping bag, Sadie draped it across the king size bed and flopped down.

"Go to sleep kid. I'm going to barricade the door and I'll be right there," Savannah said reassuringly. Smiling, Sadie laid back, closing her eyes. She didn't fall asleep until the bed dipped under her sister's weight and she felt an arm snake around her waist, pulling her into a tight hug.

Daryl had been walking for a while, with no other Walkers in sight. Damn, that girl had been thorough. He smirked. Every once in a while, the would swerve his truck to hit one of those motherfuckers, but Shane or Rick would get bent outta shape and give him hell for it. It almost wasn't worth it. Almost.

As he rounded a turn in the road, he saw a beat to hell motel- prolly one of those ones that whores hung out in front of. He had picked Merle up from so many of those that there was no mistaking it. It looked abandoned, dried blood in the windows and the doors flung open in panic. He chuckled- imagine those poor fucks, bringing one of those girls there, lookin' for a good time and they end up with a damn Walker. He was about to leave when he spotted it: sitting between two trucks was the green Explorer he'd seen earlier. She was here.


	3. The Motel

There was a horde of Walkers, slowly shuffling down the street, guided by hunger. Savannah hunkered down in the Explorer, desperately trying not to be seen. Her heart was pounding so loudly that she could swear that the sound of it was drawing those _things_ ever closer. Taking in a shuddering breath, she glanced under the nearest car. A small face was pressed against the asphalt, eyes scrunched shut in fear. Savannah glanced quickly at the Walkers. Twenty yards to go. Her heart ached. Her palms were sweaty. Her fingers were shaking. What was she to do? If she stayed in the car, and if Sadie was quiet- _really _fucking quiet, then maybe the horde would pass right on by, never the wiser. But they might find Sadie and there would be nothing that she could do other than watch her sister die. She could jump out of the Explorer and make a run for it, but how long could they keep that up? Those monsters didn't get winded. They didn't have to stop to sleep, to eat. She could pull Sadie into the car, hoping against hope that she could drive through that big of a group without flipping. She hadn't had to press her luck, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Again taking in a deep breath, trying to calm her already frayed nerves, Savannah threw the driver's side door open and launched herself at Sadie, who scrambled out from underneath the dirty sedan. They bolted for the Explorer, legs feeling like lead as the Walkers picked up speed. Sadie jumped into the passenger seat as Savannah slammed the door shut, fumbling for the door lock. Digging into her pocket, she whipped out the key and jammed it into the ignition. Her hands were so slick that she couldn't get the stupid thing to turn over. Finally, the engine revved to life right as the first Walker slid it's bloody hands on the hood, a moan rattling deep in it's decomposing throat.

Throwing the car into reverse, Savannah zoomed back a few car lengths until she could go no further. It was time to nut up or shut up. Shifting into drive, she took Sadie's left hand in her right and stood on the gas, tires screeching before they lurched forward into the melee. The first few Walkers went down easily, the Explorer jouncing to and fro. More and more of them pushed against all sides of the car, seemingly coming out of nowhere. There was so much gore on the street that the tires couldn't get any purchase, spinning uselessly. Sadie's hand frantically gripped Savannah's, her nails digging into her older sister's skin. Savannah's eyes widened in unbridled terror as the vehicle began to rock ominously. They were going to flip the damn thing! Desperately, she looked out the windows, trying to find an easy way out. They were surrounded in every sense of the word.

A deep groaning came from the Explorer as the Walkers managed to tip it completely, landing driver's side down, glass shattering and falling all around Savannah. Sadie was hanging limply by her seatbelt, stunned and silent. Time seemed to slow as Savannah watched a drop of blood inch down her cheek from a gash on her temple. It reached her chin and dropped, landing on Savannah's arm before rolling away. Sadie's eyes fluttered open, her long lashes catching the sunlight. Her head turned to look at her older sister, looking as if she was about to say something before a deformed hand reached through the broken window and snatched at her neck, pulling her out with a shrill cry.

"Sadie!" Savannah howled, hearing the girl's screams of terror, followed quickly by moans of agony. Scrambling up, she hefted herself out of the downed car only to see a sea of Walkers converging on a small figure covered in blood and gore. Her little hand reached towards Savannah, pleading.'

"Savannah!" The scream chilled her to the bone. It was full of fear, uncertainty, and desperation. She couldn't move. She knew there was nothing she could do, but she couldn't leave. She couldn't just fucking leave Sadie like that. "Savannah! Please!" A tear ran down her cheek. She couldn't go on without Sadie. Standing on the side of the car, she hesitated only a moment before stepping into the horde, their teeth ripping at her skin, their sick breath filling her lungs, their ragged nails tearing deep into muscle and breaking bone. All she could hear above their lustful gurgles was one last shrill scream from Sadie. "Oh god, Savannah!"

Savannah bolted up, sweat dripping into her eyes, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She whipped her head from side to side, eyes wide. They were still in the dingy motel. And Sadie was shaking her shoulders, pale as a ghost.

"Sav, someone's at the door!" The young girl pointed at the door, the knob turning slowly before the entire thing shook in it's frame. She slipped off of the bed, grabbing her baseball bat. Leaning up against the door, she glanced through the peephole, gasping in surprise. There was a man standing there, looking a little rough for wear, but a man nonetheless. He was looking to the right and left, probably making sure no Walkers snuck up on him before trying the door again. Steeling herself, she cleared her throat.

"You know, it's customary to knock if you want in," she said in the most badass and nonchalant voice she could muster. He looked taken aback at her statement, staring at the door wide eyed. Something caught his attention off to the side, something that made him grip his crossbow a little tighter. Turning back to the door, he leaned in, obviously trying to be quiet.

"Can ya let me in? There's Walkers a ways down an' I really dun want tuh stick around fer them tuh find me." Savannah jumped away from the door in shock. She looked at Sadie, who was still perched on the bed, listening intently.

"You're the guy from the radio!" she whispered harshly, accusingly. "You followed us here! How do I know if there really are Walkers down there?" He might be lying, just to try to get into the room to do who knows what. He could also be telling the truth. Could she let someone die just on the other side of the door just because she was afraid? Feeding Walkers would do nothing but draw more, making this disgusting room a death trap.

"Yeah, that's me, but they're gettin' closer. Do ya mind lettin' me in? I really dun wanna die today." He looked a little more nervous, shifting from foot to foot. He looked like he was about to bolt before the door opened just a crack and a hand shot out, taking a hold of his dirty plaid shirt and pulling him in roughly. He landed in a heap on the dirty burnt orange rug as the door snapped shut. Savannah tossed her baseball bat to Sadie, who took up a batter's stance, still standing on the bed. She was watching the man warily while Savannah barricaded the door once more. Whirling around, Savannah studied the newcomer carefully. He was sprawled haphazardly on the floor, crossbow held loosely in his grip as he looked from one girl to the other. She walked over and kicked the bow under one of the beds and well out of reach. Snatching up her bat once more, she loomed over him.

"Why were you following us? What do you want?" She was instantaneously suspicious. He looked tough and mean; he was the kind of guy who got into brawls and your mother warned you against. He was worse for wear and Savannah didn't like him one bit.

"It's just the two of ya?" He was stunned. These two young things were the ones that had mowed down all those Walkers? One of 'em, the one on the bed, couldn't be more than twelve or so. When he looked her way, she seemed to shrink down into the bed, trying to disappear. The other one nudged him with her shoe none too gently.

"Don't look at her. _I'm_ talkin' to ya." Daryl looked up at her, eyeing her bat warily. It was dented and covered in a thin coat of gore and grime- obviously her weapon of choice. Her curly red hair was hiding her face somewhat, but that didn't mask the scowl she was giving him. If looks could kill, then whoo whee, he'd be dead and then some! He raised his hands in supplication.

"I ain't gonna hurt ya none, I swear. I was just curious, is all. Hardly no one comes 'round here anymore." Her eyes narrowed before she lowered her bat, but refusing to let go completely. She nodded to an arm chair near a small table before moving closer to the younger girl protectively.

"Who are ya?" That simple question was laced with fear and suspicion so thick that Daryl thought he'd choke on it. Leaning back in the chair, he watched her put her elbows on her knees, the bat gripped in one hand and resting on the palm of the other.

"Daryl. And ya are?" He couldn't tell what it was, but these girls looked different from the others at camp. It wasn't their clothes: they seemed normal enough. The younger one was wearing a black tank top with rhinestones here and there; most had come off and the ones that were still there were hanging on for dear life. Her jeans ended mid calf and her black Chucks seemed to have seen better days, but her clothes, aside from a little worn, were pretty damn clean. Daryl was more than a little envious. His clothes were stiff with sweat and smelled bad enough to peel paint.

The other one, however, was a lot more grimy. Her jeans were tattered at best, barely there at worst. One of the knees was completely blown out and sections were so threadbare that he could see pale skin showing through the faded blue. Her now off-white v-neck had smudges of dirt and blood, one sleeve almost completely ripped off, showing her shoulder, which was burnt and peeling. Her hand came up and ruffled her hair distractedly. It was with that motion that he knew what it was: they were fucking clean. Not "we're going to bathe in a lake" clean, but honest to god, legitimately, with soap and shampoo clean. While their clothes were a bit ripe, their skin was clean, their hair wasn't oily, and he was pretty damn sure that their breath was nowhere near as heinous as his. What he wouldn't do to be able to wash away at least a little bit of dirt! Sure, he was used to being less than impeccable, but even he was getting sick of how badly he smelled. The redhead cleared her throat and extended non-bat wielding hand.

"Then hello Daryl. I'm Savannah, and this is Sadie." He took her hand and shook it, smirking a bit when he felt how strong her grip was. If she wasn't confident, she sure as shit acted like it. Leaning back, Savannah studied him unabashedly. He was definitely dirty- and not the kind of dirty that came from one day's hard work. It was a layered on filth, that came from living it rough for weeks or months on end. She crinkled her nose. He was definitely in need of a good hose down. His hair, probably once a sandy blonde or light brown color, was oily and matted. This face was smudged with dirt and sweat, making chunks of hair cling to his face. His shirt wasn't any better either. The sleeves looked like they had been torn off and the plaid was faded to a dusty blue. Whether that was from use or lack of a good wash was anyone's guess. His jeans were at least in better shape than her own. Hers barely counted as pants anymore, while he only had a few holes here and there. She glanced at the crossbow peaking out from under the bed, vaguely impressed. Obviously, he knew what the fuck he was doing long before shit hit the fan, unlike her. She had what her dad liked to call "city smarts." She could handle metros, complicated directions, and the general hustle and bustle of a city, but the second you asked her to hunt dinner, she was clueless.

"Nice tuh meet ya," he said with a slight nod of his head. "An' thanks fer lettin' me in." He wasn't normally one to be so cordial, but he'd be damned if he'd give her a reason to throw him out there with those fuckers. She only nodded in response, putting an arm around Sadie, pulling her close. "Are ya two sisters or sumthin'?" he asked gruffly. She looked at him warily, her icy blue eyes locked onto his. She pursed her lips before speaking.

"And if we are? What're ya goin' tuh-" she was cut off as the front door shuddered against it's frame violently. Three sets of eyes whipped towards it. It slammed against the barricade once more. Savannah's breath caught in her throat when she heard the moans- the raspy and breathless moans of the hungry undead on the other side of the door, begging to be let in.


	4. The Decision

The door rocked in it's frame, the force of the Walkers' desperation scooting the barricaded furniture inch by inch across the carpet. Adrenaline took over and Savannah launched herself at a nicked wooden dresser. She dropped to her haunches and braced her shoulder against the rickety drawers. With a deep breath, she shoved with all her might, forcing the furniture back against the now slightly ajar door. It snapped shut on a decaying hand, one of the fingers bouncing across the carpet and coming to rest at Daryl's feet. Pulling his crossbow from underneath the bed, he marched to the window, pulling the curtain aside a fraction.

"Aw fuck," he muttered under his breath. There had to be at least a dozen walkers out there. Where the fuck had they come from? He had only seen a coupla' those bastards out there earlier. They were damn fast for dead folks. He turned to Savannah, who was sweating under the strain of holding off the Walkers. Daryl swung his bow over his back and mirrored her crouched position, shoving with all his might. "There are more 'an ten of 'em out there. We need tuh find another way outta here." Savannah nodded, not trusting herself to be able to talk. This was pathetic- she knew that she'd not been eating as much as she should have been, but she wasn't just underweight; she was fucking frail! She should have been able to hold this barricade, but it felt like the world was pushing against that damn door.

She took a shuddering breath. "Sadie, find a way out. I don't know how long I can keep this shit up," she panted. Sadie jumped off the bed and ran to the bathroom, hoping there was a window there. If they could get out the back, then went the barricade broke, and the Walkers were preoccupied with the motel room, they could make a run for the Explorer. Shoving open the door and flicking on the light, Sadie grimaced. Obviously this bathroom wasn't used for any sort of relaxation. The sink was covered in a grayish green film and the floor was worn and faded.

"Thank God I kept my shoes on," she muttered. This was downright filthy! Scrunching up her nose, Sadie turned and saw a window high up on the wall. It had to be no more than a foot tall and a couple wide, if even that. Standing on the clogged toilet, she tried the latch, which was rusted, but after a few forceful yanks, opened with a creak. She poked her head out the window, looking around quickly. Behind the motel was a long overgrown basketball court and an emptied swimming pool. It was obvious that the motel no longer attracted the clientele that required such amenities, so management probably quit with the upkeep. She hopped off the toilet and raced back into the room. "Sav! There's a window- it's small, but it opens! And there's no Walkers back there! We can get out!"

Taken momentarily off guard, Savannah's feet lost purchase on the threadbare carpet and her leg shot out from underneath her. She fell to the floor only to have her side of the dresser slam back into her right shoulder, making a sickeningly loud crunch. A jolt of pain rocketed through her arm and down her side. She hissed in pain, her teeth bared, as she leaned her back against the dresser, pushing once more. Savannah cradled her right shoulder with her left arm, her right one dangling limply from the socket. Daryl knew at once that her shoulder was dislocated and that he couldn't pop it back into the socket without moving from his position. There was no way that she could get through a tiny bathroom window without help either.

Savannah took a calming breath before looking at Sadie whose eyes were wide with worry. "Sadie, get our stuff and throw it out the window. We need to get everything we need out before making a run for it." The younger girl merely nodded before snatching up their backpacks and darting away to the bathroom. Savannah looked at Daryl, sizing him up, before saying, "It's dislocated, right?" She already knew the answer, but she needed some sort of confirmation. When he nodded, she continued resolutely, "Go break apart that chair. We need to prop this barricade up."

He stared at her in disbelief. Now wasn't the time for fuckin' heroics. There was no way she could hold those damn things back in her condition. "Ya can't do it alone. I dun' think so." She glared at him before planting her feet shoulder's width apart and with a look of determination, shoved with all of her strength.

"You're gonna have to do it. I can't do anything with my bum arm, and Sadie can't either, she's too weak. Now break that damn chair before I break you, ya hear?" The ferocity in her voice was enough to give him slight pause, and the defiant look she gave him made him comply. Shrugging, he hoisted himself up. Grabbing the chair, he smashed it with his booted foot. There were only a few good pieces, but they'd have to do. Daryl snatched them up and used them to prop up the barricade, the sharpened ends digging into the carpet and the more dull ones wedged into the seams of the dresser. Savannah eased up a little, testing their strength- they could hold enough so that she didn't have to strain too much, but not so much that she could stop pushing altogether. Regaining her footing, she looked up and Daryl and to Sadie who was standing in the bathroom doorway, shifting nervously from foot to foot. She knew that she wouldn't be able to get out that window without help. Sadie was too small and weak to help her, and someone had to stay here to hold the barricade, that much was certain. Savannah's heart was pounding as she turned back to Daryl who was looming over her, stern looking as ever.

"Get her out of here." Her voice was nothing but a whisper, half resigned and half pleading. Sadie launched herself into the room and right in front of her sister.

"Why are you telling him to do that? You have to come with me! You promised that we'd always be together!" The girl was now wailing, making the Walkers push against the door with renewed hunger. Her face was twisted with rage and sorrow, not understanding why Savannah would make her go with this guy they didn't even know.

Savannah smiled sadly. "Sadie, someone has to keep holding the barricade. We can't just-"

"He can do it! He's stronger! His shoulder isn't hurt!" Sadie interrupted, pointing wildly at Daryl.

"I know, Sadie, I know. But I can't get out a tiny window with just one arm, and you're too small to help me. He can get you both out of here. He can keep you safe, right?" The question was aimed at Daryl who, uncomfortable with such displays, had retreated to the other side of the room. At her question, he perked up and nodded.

"I'm part of a group. There's other kids. She'll be fine." He ruffled his hair with one hand. What the hell had he gotten himself into? All he wanted was to see who the fuck was ballsy enough to drive around yammering on the radio, but now he was gonna leave someone to die and inherit her tag-along. What a fuckin' day.

Savannah smiled. "See? He can take care of you. You have to go. I don't know how much longer I can hold them, and I'll be damned if they get you." Savannah reached out with her good arm and brushed away Sadie's tears, even though they kept coming. With a sad smile, she pulled the girl closer and hugged her fiercely. Burying her face in the girl's curly brown hair, she whispered, "Même lorsque je ne suis pas à côté de vous, je suis toujours avec vous. Je vous aimerai toujours.*" Sadie sobbed harder against her shoulder, inconsolable. It was only when she heard the door splintering that Savannah pushed her away. Daryl guided the girl away by her shoulders, his eyes meeting Savannah's once more. He couldn't help but feel a grudging respect for the slight woman. She knew what had to be done, and even though it meant risking her life, she made sure that her sister survived. He would have done the same for Merle. He had many a time, in fact. But they weren't the same. Sadie was going to be destroyed, and he seriously doubted that Merle even gave his sacrifices a second thought, the bastard. But he was family. Daryl looked down at the girl, her eyes red rimmed from crying and her lip quivering from trying to hold herself together. Now, he had someone else to take care of. Giving Savannah one last look, he guided Sadie into the bathroom and hoisted her through the window, following quickly afterward. He had someone else to take care of.

*Even when I'm not beside you, I'm always with you. I'll always love you.


	5. The Rescue

Savannah watched as the pair disappeared into the bathroom. It felt like there was a gaping hole in the center of her chest and there was nothing she could do about it. Unable to hold it back any longer, she sobbed loudly. This wasn't how she pictured it would end; she didn't think that she'd die in some fleabag motel alone. She had thought about it a lot, late when Sadie was snoring the night away. Every possible scenario had run through her head, keeping her awake into the early morning hours. She had always been the pessimist, and back when everything had been normal, it had kept her from doing many of the things that she'd dreamt of. But now it was a blessing; she could envision every gruesome death and blunder, she could try to avoid it and prepare herself to face it as best she could. Of course, she could never tell Sadie. The girl was always so unrealistically optimistic that it grated on her nerves, but Savannah didn't have the heart to shatter the illusion. It was all the girl had left nowadays.

The dresser lurched forward, catching Savannah by surprise. Bracing her feet, she shoved with all her might and the door closed a few inches, but didn't snap shut like before. She didn't know if she was just getting weaker, or if the Walkers were more insistent, but either way, she was losing this fight pretty damn quick. She leaned back so that the back of her head was resting on a dresser drawer and looked at the mottled ceiling. It looked a lot like her ceiling back at home, if she didn't focus on the water marks too much. Another sob wracked her. She didn't want to die here. She wanted to be at home, cooking dinner while Sadie and Dad sat at the kitchen table laughing and carrying on. She wanted to get frustrated when Charlie ran around underfoot, nearly tripping her. God, how she missed Charlie. The kid had infectious laughter and an energy that demanded constant supervision. Of course, she and Sadie hadn't seen their father or Charlie since they had gotten separated by that horde of Walkers. Savannah knew that Dad would rather die than let something happen to the little whippersnapper, just like she was doing with Sadie. That's what family did for family.

They say that there are stages of acceptance when it comes to death. Savannah didn't know whether or not that was true, but she knew that she was resigned to the fact. It was all a matter of time now. How long would it take for Sadie and Daryl to get to a safe distance? When should she let the Walkers in so that they could get to the Explorer? Would those undead motherfuckers get tired of fighting for her and start to mill around instead? If she let them in now, how fast would they eat her? How long would they be preoccupied? She had lost track of time- had no idea how long it had been since Sadie had slipped out the bathroom window and into the predawn gloom. Of course, it didn't help that she didn't have a watch and the one clock in the room had already wound down.

"I'll let them in in five minutes," she mumbled, numb. Then, she began to count.

* * *

><p>Daryl was dragging the little girl behind him as he bolted away from the back of the cinderblock motel. He knew that more and more Walkers were gathering at the door to their room, and it was only a matter of time before either they were spotted or the door caved in. And he had no intention of letting that noble-as-fuck broad die like that. No one deserved to die like that. The girl was slowing down and he didn't have the patience for her grief. Yanking her arm harshly, he tried to hurry her along, but to no avail. She dug her heels into the ground and began to wail so loudly that he slapped his hand over her mouth.<p>

"Now I understand that yer sad 'bout yer sister an' all, but if ya keep that ruckus up, yer liable to draw a Walker on us, ya hear?" He whispered harshly, his face mere inches from hers. Sadie, her face streaked with tears, nodded slowly. "I'm not gonna leave 'er like that, okay? But first, I have tuh get ya somewhere safe, so I need ya to help me out and stop draggin' yer goddamn feet." Again, Sadie nodded. Daryl moved his hand from her mouth and turned, no longer having to drag the girl, who ran a few paces behind. They had circled through the woods and back to the main road about a quarter of a mile away from the motel, and it was here that Daryl stopped. Sadie, now completely out of breath, nearly barreled into his back, earning her a hard look before he motioned her over to a tree.

"What are we doing? I thought you said you were going back to help Sav!" Sadie was absolutely indignant. He made her run through the woods only to stop at the side of the road, not a single car in sight. This didn't look like a rescue plan at all! Daryl harrumphed and pulled her over to the tall pine tree, and lifted her up to the lowest branch. Sadie let out a squeal of surprise, grabbing onto the trunk for dear life.

"Ya have tuh climb a little higher 'fore yer safe from Walkers, and I ain't gonna leave ya tuh fend fer yerself while I'm gettin' yer sister." He crossed his arms, becoming thoroughly impatient with this little girl, who was just staring at him like he had a second fuckin' head or something. "Are ya gonna climb higher, or what? The longer ya take, the longer it'll take fer me to get tuh yer sister." That seemed to jolt the girl into action- the minute it registered, she scampered up the tree, clinging to the trunk and staring down at him with wide frightened eyes. Swinging his crossbow to the front and with the stern tone of a father talking to a disobedient child, he said, "Now I want ya to stay here until I get back. Don't come down fer anyone else, ya hear?" Again, Sadie nodded. She couldn't manage to get her vocal chords to work and she was shaking all over, unable to come to grips with the situation. All she knew was that she should do what this scary redneck told her to, so she wrapped her arms around the trunk of the tree and held on so tightly that her knuckles went white. Seeing that she wasn't going anywhere, Daryl turned and sprinted down the road- there wasn't much time.

Rounding a turn in the road, he skidded to a stop. There had to be about thirty of those fuckers pushing on that damn door, and there were more coming. "Fuck…" he mumbled to himself, slowly creeping towards a cluster of parked cars a couple doors down from the horde. Daryl was slinking from car to car, silent and wary. He had to keep his wits about him; this wasn't like anything he'd done before. It was different when stalking prey or hunting down a lone Walker. One false move, one sound, and they would turn on him and he'd be deader than a doornail. He'd be damned if he died for this bitch and her sister.

He finally made it to the passenger side of the Explorer. He tested the handle, hoping to all that was holy that they hadn't been stupid enough to lock it. The handle eased up and the door popped open slightly with a tiny squeak. Daryl froze, unsure if any of those sumbitches had heard it. When nothing came to investigate, he eased the door open a fraction more- just enough for him to squeeze inside. Closing the door softly, he looked around. He hadn't seen the keys on either girl when they were in the room, but that didn't necessarily mean that they had stashed them somewhere in the car. "Damnit, where are they?" he whispered viciously. He glanced at the Walkers crowding around the door, which was ajar, the closest one's arms reaching through the gap. He didn't have much time. Flicking down the driver's side sun visor, the keys dropped to the seat with a muffled jingle. Daryl grinned and sidled over to the driver's side, jammed the keys into the ignition, and revved the engine to life. Slamming on the gas, he gunned the Explorer onto the sidewalk and straight into the crowd of Walkers.

* * *

><p>Savannah started when she heard the engine turn over. It had to be her imagination- Daryl said that he'd get Sadie to safety and being outside the front of the fucking motel was not what she had in mind. A flash of anger ran through her. She had trusted him to keep the girl away from the damned Walkers, not bring her straight into the thick of them! Savannah scowled. She had half a mind just to let those things in so that he'd get the hint to get the fuck out of dodge, but there was no way in hell that she was about to let Sadie see that. Damn that hick- he put her between a rock and hard place and if she got her hands on him, she'd show him exactly what she thought of him. She was still seething when she heard the car scrape against the side of the building and the unmistakable crunching of what had to be the dead on the other side of the door. Their groans and gnashing was still audible, but not quite so loud nor so close. She was about to lean over to look through the gap in the door before it swung open, hitting her square in her dislocated shoulder. She yelped in pain, glaring at the dirty blonde head that leaned out the passenger side door. They looked at each other for a moment before Daryl smirked and said, "Ya gonna get in, or what?"<p>

Savannah scrambled up and hopped in, slamming the door a second before Daryl took off down the sidewalk and swung out into the parking lot. The remaining Walkers were trying to stop the Explorer from getting away, but their rotting fingers couldn't get a grip and instead splintered, leaving bloody streaks on the dark green paint. The car squealed out onto the street before lurching down the road. Savannah, taking one last glance in the rearview mirror at the motel, spun to face the backseat. Her heart started to pound; Sadie wasn't there.

"Where is she?" she screamed at Daryl. "I told you to keep her safe! Where the fuck is she?" Her voice got more shrill by the minute and Daryl winced. Rubbing a hand on his right ear, he turned towards Savannah and snarled.

"I had tuh get her away from those things, didn't I? I wasn't 'bout tuh leave her where they could get her. Just calm down and stop shrieking like a goddamned banshee fer just one minute, will ya? Damn." Savannah sat back, the wind knocked out of her sails. "We're almost to her," he finished softly a moment later. He couldn't really be angry with the woman. She reacted the same way he had when he'd heard that Merle was left behind. He was just lucky that she hadn't pulled a knife on him like he had on Grimes.

He slowed the car when he saw the little girl perched in the tree, pale as a ghost. Savannah saw her a moment later, leaping out before he had even come to a stop. She sprinted to the tree, holding up her one good arm, as if to catch the girl. Sure enough, Sadie jumped out of the tree and right onto her sister, pinning her beneath her. Savannah gripped the girl with her left arm, hiding the girl's face in her neck, letting her cry into her dingy shirt. What he wasn't prepared for was the look that Savannah gave him over Sadie's head. He could tell that she was trying not to break down. She'd been prepared to die, to never see what was left of her family ever again, and yet here she was, holding the girl. All because of him. They were both alive because of him. She wasn't grateful- it was something deeper than that. It was an understanding. She knew he didn't have to do any of what he did, and she didn't know why he had. But she was certain that she owed him more than she could ever repay, and she let him see it. Daryl was more uncomfortable than he had ever been in his entire life, sitting there in the front seat and staring at this woman that he hadn't known even twelve hours before. But he couldn't look away. He couldn't look away from her sister, gripping her like she was a lifeline. He couldn't look away from the girl's tears. He couldn't look away from Savannah's distorted shoulder. And he definitely couldn't break her gaze.

Without a word, she pulled Sadie towards the car. Climbing in, Savannah turned to him and said in a voice what was eerily even and calm, "Let's go." He nodded and drove towards camp.


	6. The Introduction

_I don't normally do Author's Notes, but I wanted to tell you guys how amazing it is to get the feedback that I have on this story. I've had this plot and these characters stewing in my head for a while, and it's such a wonderful thing to know that you guys enjoy reading these chapters as much as I enjoy writing them. Thank you all for the support, and I will do my best not to disappoint!_

* * *

><p>They didn't say anything during the drive. The only thing to break the silence was Sadie and her half muffled sobs that she tried to smother into Savannah's now splotchy t-shirt. Savannah was absent mindedly stroking the girl's hair while staring out the window at the desolate highway. She could see the red smears on the asphalt where she had mowed down Walkers hours before, trying to get away from the very man who was driving her car. She glanced over at the driver's side. Daryl was reclined slightly in the seat, his left elbow propped up on the ledge almost casually. Almost. He was chewing on his thumb nail, his right hand flexing and relaxing on the steering wheel repeatedly. He was antsy. Hell, she was too. She didn't know where the hell he was taking them, but she hoped that it was safer than that damned motel. She'd been too close to calling it quits back there, and part of her was ashamed. It would have been so easy just to let those things into the room and just check the fuck out, and she wouldn't have minded. In fact, she was kind of relieved that she wouldn't have to keep running from those things anymore. And that was so unbelievably selfish of her that Savannah felt sick. She hadn't given a damn about Sadie, or Charlie, or her Dad. She just cared about how weary her bones felt, how good it felt to just sit instead of running. Always running. It got so tiresome. Always being on edge took it out of her- she rarely smiled anymore, and she could tell that she'd gotten haggard. What she wouldn't give for a good night's sleep and a warm meal. Savannah glanced back at Daryl. He'd said that he was part of a camp. She shifted back into her seat, pulling Sadie with her. She knew it was stupid, but she kind of hoped that they'd be able to provide both.<p>

Daryl could tell that she was watching him, thinking god knows what. He was already uncomfortable with the thought of bringin' two new people back to camp without the broad starin' at him like that. He kept his eyes straight ahead, not wanting to even look at 'em. A knife twisted deep in his gut when he saw them actin' all affectionate towards each other. It was alright as soon as that blond chick from camp died. Then, he hadn't had anyone to remind him of Merle, but seeing these two bein' all familial, the feeling had returned with a vengeance. He ground his teeth together. Sure he an' Merle weren't all cozy like these two, but damn, he missed the asshole. Despite his best efforts, Daryl glanced at the girls perched in the passenger seat. The little one had a death grip on the older one, who looked like she was still in shock. He couldn't blame her, but it was getting a bit old and he wasn't in the mood to coddle anyone. He cleared his throat.

"So what's yer deal?" Sadie peeked out at Daryl, still latched on to her sister while Savannah looked at him as if he'd spoken another language.

"Our deal?" She cocked her head to the side. Daryl bit on his thumb nail before ruffling his hair.

"Yeah, yer deal. Where are ya drivin' tuh?" Savannah gave him that look again, like she was looking straight through him.

"Just around. The real question is where you're drivin' us." Daryl pointed towards the top of a hill a mile or two away. Savannah leaned forward and squinted, but she couldn't see anything besides tall Loblolly pines.

"Yer not gonna see anything. The camp is small- just an RV and a coupla cars. That's where we're goin."

The rest of the ride was spent in relative silence. Sadie had stopped her crying and was now sniffling occasionally, no longer as frightened. Savannah had stopped stroking the girl's curly hair and was instead resting her left arm on Daryl's chair, mirroring his posture while her right arm hung limply at her side. Everyone was in their own little world when Daryl turned onto the dirt road, and it was about ten minutes until they rounded a turn and Savannah could make out a beat up Winnebago. A jolt of adrenaline shot through her when she saw that they were drawing attention from a fairly sizeable group of people, none of which looked particularly friendly. As they got closer, she could practically feel Daryl tensing up and she wondered what exactly she and Sadie had gotten themselves into.

As soon as the Explorer ground to a halt, a curly haired man had his face leaning in the driver side window menacingly. "The fuck Daryl? Who are these people? Are they bit? What on god's good earth possessed you to bring them here?" The man's voice rose with each question until he was full on screaming into the car. Daryl was seething and Savannah could tell. She didn't know what the hell was going on, but she sure as shit didn't want anything to do with these people anymore. She just wanted to shove Daryl out the door and floor it until she was outta dodge.

"They were on the damn radio, if that's any of yer business. An' I wasn't gonna just let 'em fend fer themselves, unlike you bastards. Now get outta my face 'fore I do sumthin' to make ya regret it!" Daryl's anger was boiling over and he was gripping the steering wheel so hard that he thought he was going to break the damn thing. Shane, however, refused to back down. He leaned further in to the car, pointing at Savannah's arm accusingly.

"What the hell happened to her arm? Did she get bit or did ya rough her up a bit?" Shane narrowly missed Daryl's swing before jumping away from the Explorer. Daryl followed quickly, more than willing to knock the cocky bastard around. Shane hadn't really expected Daryl to do much more than take a swing or two at him, but when he launched himself onto the cop, Shane knew he was serious. He glanced to Rick for help, and in typical Rick fashion, he was always there to help. Rick pulled Daryl off of Shane roughly before shoving him back towards the Explorer. Daryl stumbled a little, and using the door for leverage, righted himself. If this was the welcome he was gonna get after saving someone, he'd be damned if he did it again.

Savannah and Sadie had watched the whole confrontation and Savannah was pretty sure that they were safer with the Walkers than these people. They had inched out of the Explorer, ready to run if they had to since Daryl still had the keys. They could find more supplies if they had to. It would be difficult, but much more preferable than staying with these lunatics. They inched back towards the tree line until they heard someone clear their throat. Jumping, Savannah whipped around, shielding Sadie. Leaning against a tree was a stern looking woman. Savannah's heart leapt into her throat, but she stood her ground. It wasn't until she started to walk towards them that she began to back away, her panic growing with each step. The woman's dark hair hung limply about her shoulders, and her collar bones were sticking out from underneath a dirty tank top. She looked haggard and not the least bit reassuring as she gradually closed the distance between them. When the sisters backed up into the Explorer, Sadie let out a little yelp, cowering behind Savannah.

"Get away from us!" screamed Savannah, her face contorted with a mix of rage and terror. Lorie stopped, a little shocked. She'd just wanted to make sure the girls were okay, but they were more skittish than wild animals. Seeing that the woman hadn't moved, Savannah yelled again. "I said get away! I mean it!" Her voice was cracking with fear. There were so many people- they'd never be able to get away if they decided to gang up on them. What the hell had that fucking redneck dragged them into?

Daryl had started when he heard the first outburst, unsure of where it'd come from. Whirling around, he saw Lorie approaching the girls, her face showing more skepticism than friendliness. He glowered. That bitch was more of a pain in the ass than she was worth, and he was tired of her damned attitude. Ever since Rick had come back, she'd been acting like she had a stick up her ass. Daryl stomped around the front of the car, planting himself between the sisters and Lorie's incredulous stare. Savannah pulled Sadie towards Daryl with her one good arm. She knew that she was less than useless in a fight with her arm the way it was, but he was another story. He could give as good as he took, if not more so, and she wanted him on their team. Putting Sadie between them, Savannah turned her back to Daryl and faced the rest of the group while he stared down Lorie, and now Rick who had joined his wife. Shane made to grab for Savannah, but she whipped out her pocket knife and waved it at him.

"Don't come any closer or I swear to god I will goddamn cut you!" She was shaking like a leaf, but he didn't want to chance it and backed away, hands in the air. Looking over her shoulder to Daryl, she demanded, "You said it would be safe! It doesn't seem fucking safe!" Before Daryl could say anything, a soft voice came from the top of the Winnebago.

"Calm down dearie. I think we've all gotten off on the wrong foot here. I'm Dale."


	7. The Fix

Savannah started when she heard the older man standing on the roof of the RV, watching the scene unfold. Squinting to see him in the sunshine, she subconsciously backed towards Daryl, who was still staring down the cop and his wife. Dale just smiled and moved to climb down the ladder at the back of the Winnebago, which only made the two girls more nervous. Savannah kept inching backwards towards Daryl until she was practically squishing Sadie between their sweaty backs; he unwilling to give up any ground and she trying to make the girl disappear as much as a person possibly could. Daryl grunted in annoyance, but Savannah couldn't care less about his discomfort. All her attention was focused on the old man now standing a few paces in front of her, holding his hand out like he wanted a damn handshake.

Dale kept still, waiting for her to do something, anything. He knew better than to press someone as jumpy as this young woman cowering in front of him, his age had taught him that much. It was clear that whatever she'd been through, she'd learned that trust wasn't something to give lightly. As a group, they were pretty fortunate not to have been stuck with the short end of the stick too often, and he was thankful for that. But he had to show her that he of all people didn't mean any harm. So, he continued to stand there, his right hand stuck out, waiting for her to take it. She'd come around if he stood there long enough, he was sure of it.

Without anything else to fuel his temper, Daryl began to calm down. It was then that he realized exactly what kind of position he was in. The little girl was practically clinging to his back while her sister was no more than a foot from him, the closest she'd let him come since meeting her. He could tell that they'd been on the road a while- they weren't exactly daisy fresh, but Savannah had obviously tried to cover it up with some sort of perfume or something not that it was workin' too well. Turning fully, he saw that she was squarin' off with Dale of all people, and the old coot was standin' there, trying to get her to shake his fuckin' hand. This girl was more jumpy than a damn jackrabbit. With a sneer, he leaned down towards Savannah.

"The old codger won't do nothin' tuh ya. It's some of these other mother fuckers ya gotta be careful 'round," he mumbled, not caring if they heard him or not. Savannah looked at Daryl skeptically out of the corner of her eye. She wasn't so sure of this entire situation, but if she was going to be stuck in it, she might as well man up and deal with it head on. With more courage than she knew she had, Savannah marched up to Dale and took his hand awkwardly in her left one and shook it, still glancing warily at the rest of the group, which had gathered a good ten feet or so behind the Winnebago.

Dale smiled and with the kind of reassurance that only a grandparent could give, said, "Welcome to our group. Sorry we got off on the wrong foot, Ms…?"

"Savannah. And that's Sadie," she said, motioning behind her towards Daryl. Again, Dale smiled.

"Nice to meet you two. Why don't you come over to the fire so we can get you fixed up. Looks like your arm has seen better days, am I right?" Dale started to lead the young woman over to the fire pit, his hand on her good elbow before she began to protest.

Shaking her head, she sternly declined. "It's nothing serious. It just needs to be popped back into its socket and I'll be fine. I'd rather stay with my car, it's the same to you." Her tone clearly said what her words didn't: if she was going to stay, it was her way or no way. Releasing her arm, Dale smiled patiently and nodded. Some people needed more time than others, but these girls would come around eventually. He moved back to stand by Andrea, who looked more than a little concerned at their newest additions. He patted her on the shoulder before ushering everyone away from the Explorer and the odd girls that had come with it.

Savannah, meanwhile, had rejoined Sadie who was now standing alone by the car. Looking around, she saw Daryl walking towards a beat up pickup, not giving them a second look. Her brows furrowed. This wasn't what she expected at all, and she was none too happy about it. At least he'd had the presence of mind to give her keys to Sadie, who was now shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably.

"Savannah? Should we try to fix your arm?" Nodding, she ushered the girl to the back bumper. Sitting down, she looked at her sister, unsure if she had the strength or the wherewithal to do what needed to be done. "What do you need me to do?" Savannah hadn't really had any experience with dislocated shoulders, or dislocated anythings. The extent of her medical knowledge was what could be cured with over the counter drugs and what she'd seen on tv shows, and dislocated shoulders weren't glamorous enough to be featured on prime time. All that those shows had taught her was that it was never Lupus.

"I think… I think we have to shove it in. How else is it going to get back in there?" Sadie looked anything but reassured. Savannah smiled and shrugged. "Let's just give it a go and see what happens, okay?" Taking a deep breath, she nodded at the girl, who then shoved as hard as she could into her sister's right shoulder. Savannah howled in pain and bit down hard on her lower lip, splitting it. The whole camp got quiet, staring at the Explorer but not daring to go near it. Savannah was doubled over, clutching her right arm to her chest, gasping. Sadie's eyes were like saucers and she was letting loose a near constant stream of apologies. Gathering her wits, Savannah sat back up and patted the girl on the knee.

"It's okay Sadie. I didn't think it'd hurt that bad. But it looks like it didn't work, so let's try one more time." The girl was shaking, but put her hands on her sister's arm again, and at her signal, threw her weight onto the arm. Savannah tried not to scream, but she couldn't stop a shrill cry from escaping. By this time, she was crying from the pain and the shoulder still wasn't back in its damn socket.

"The fuck ya tryin' tuh do? Draw more Walkers?" Daryl was standing at the edge of the Explorer, his arms crossed over his chest in annoyance and disapproval.

"I'm trying to pop her shoulder back in," Sadie said defiantly. "She can't just stay this way." Her chin was sticking out and he was in no mood for her sass. Shoving her off the bumper, he sat next to Savannah and took a real good look at her arm. She was still hunched over, gasping from pain when he grabbed her arm, pulling her upright. His calloused hands bent her arm into a right angle over her chest and slowly moved it outwards towards himself. It was only when her arm was completely bared did he see the puckered stitches crisscrossing her pale skin. They were red and ugly, obviously done by an amateur. They'd leave long winding scars, he pretty damn sure of that. His fingers ghosted over them as he pulled her arm back further. They'd been done with sewing thread, and probably with a sewing needle too, he'd wager. How fucked up did her arm have to be for her to let someone fucking _sew _her back up? He knew he was tougher than any run of the mill sumbitch, but that was all sorts of desperate that he didn't want to experience any time soon. This broad was tougher than he gave her credit for. She probably screamed like a stuck pig during the whole damn thing too.

When her hand went back as far as it could, he rolled the shoulder, trying to coax it into the socket. Savannah was grimacing in pain, biting down on her already bloody lower lip so she wouldn't cry out again, her left hand clawing at her jeans. The shoulder refused to pop back in, so Daryl prepared to try again, only pausing to pull a dirty rag out of his back pocket. He bunched it up and handed it to Savannah.

"Bite down on it. It'll spare yer damn lip some." She only nodded and quickly stuffed it into her mouth as he took hold of her right arm again. He started back in front of her chest, slowly moving her arm out. He gently rolled her shoulder and this time, it popped back into the socket, making Savannah hiss around the rag. He moved her arm around a little, making sure it was all the way in before taking his rag from her outstretched hand.

"Thank you," she said simply, looking up at him from the bumper where she still sat. He ruffled his hair a little, and biting on his thumb nail, looked anywhere but at her.

"Try not tuh use it fer a bit. Yer gonna be a lil' weak, but ya should be fine," his tone more gruff than he felt. He wasn't used to people thankin' him for jack shit, and this girl an' her kid sister were makin' him uncomfortable. He didn't wait for any sort of indication that they'd heard him before picking up his crossbow and stalking off into the tree line. He needed some time to himself, away from all these damn people and their fuckin' looks. Like he didn't see those looks that they were throwing his way, like he'd brought a damn Walker into camp and introduced it as his retarded cousin, or some shit. "Fuck me if I bring anyone else back after all this," he grumbled to himself.

Savannah watched Daryl leave while Sadie was tending to her arm, albeit unnecessarily. She knew he'd noticed the stitches. They really were ugly, the dark blue string weaving crookedly across her pale arms. She wished that they'd been able to find lighter string so they wouldn't be so stark, but beggars can't be choosers, so dark blue it was. They were relatively fresh and red and now that someone else had seen them, she was stupidly self conscious. She frowned. It wasn't like she could hide them- they crawled across the inside of both of her arms, puckering the skin grotesquely. And it was only a matter of time before the others started asking questions. At least Daryl had mustered enough courtesy not to ask her about them, she doubted that he'd really given them too much thought in the first place.

"Let's take a nap, Sav." Sadie's voice jolted her out of her thoughts. The girl was pulling on her left arm, trying to get her into the Explorer. Savannah followed silently, more than ready to let Sadie mother her a little. It gave the girl something constructive to do, and even though she didn't want to admit it, Savannah was fucking tired. As soon as she nestled herself into the backseat with Sadie, she was out for the count. The girl smiled, smoothing her older sister's hair before locking the doors and settling in. Nothing could get them, not in there. Not when they were together.


	8. The Lesson

The camp watched Daryl march off into the woods without a backwards glance. It had since gone quiet by the Explorer, but they were unsure about what to do with those girls. Dale was content just letting them rest. He was confident that they'd come around as soon as they were comfortable; it was obvious that something had made the pair jumpy and he wasn't about to push them. Not everyone was quite as understanding however.

"What are we going to do about them?" Shane was pacing between Rick and T Dog, fidgeting and looking at the green Explorer every couple of steps. "We don't know anything about them, and if you haven't forgotten, the last time we blindly trusted someone, we almost got blown to kingdom come." He was glowering at the car at the edge of camp. He had half a mind to march over there and get some answers, now that Daryl was out of camp. If that redneck didn't prove to be so damn useful, Shane would leave him for the Walkers. He didn't understand how everyone could put up with him- that hick had a hair trigger temper and didn't care about anyone 'cept himself. Shane furrowed his brows. Daryl got under his skin, plain and simple, and he didn't like it one bit.

"I hardly think that's what's going on here, Shane. They're scared, and I really don't blame them." Andrea was sitting on a log next to Dale, leaning forward with her elbows propped on her knees. "I mean, the first person they met was Daryl, am I right?" She smiled a little bit, trying to break the tension. Glenn chuckled from where he was leaning against the RV.

"He'd scare the crap outta me- hell, he still does," the young man said softly, still smiling. "I do think we need to know more, but waiting a couple hours shouldn't hurt. I mean, if they have been bitten, they're in their car, so they're already contained. If not, then no harm, no foul. Right?" He looked at everyone in the group hopefully. He did want to be careful, but he knew from experience that appearances could be deceiving. And he hoped that this was one of those times, because those girls looked pretty damn crazy waving that knife around.

Shane's mood was souring with each passing moment; no one seemed to be as worried as he thought they should be. And no one was bringing up what Daryl had actually done. "Does no one care that Daryl could've compromised this whole camp by running off by himself to get those two? We don't even know if they're alone! They could've led people or Walkers straight to us!" He was gesturing wildly at the tree line where Daryl had disappeared and then to the Explorer, still sitting silently. "And I don't know about all of you, but I remember what happened at our last camp very well." He knew it was harsh, but he looked directly at Andrea. He needed someone to see how dangerous this could be, and she was the easiest one to sway.

Andrea's blood ran cold for a moment. Amy. She hadn't thought about her for at least a couple weeks, and a wave of guilt washed over her, followed quickly by anger. How dare he use Amy to convince her? She clenched her fists and stared at him icily. "I hardly think that those two _sisters_ are going to bring a pack of Walkers here, Shane." She was barely holding on to her temper; the only thing keeping her from jumping up and getting in his face was Dale's hand calmly resting on her shoulder, his thumb rubbing small circles into the fabric of her shirt. She stayed seated and opted to glare at him darkly.

Rick could feel the undercurrents of tension strung tightly between the group and stood with a sigh. He stepped between Andrea and Shane, trying to cut off their matching stares. "It seems like we've come to a consensus. Let's let those two rest a bit before we bombard them with questions, but don't drop your guard. They're an unknown and until we can size them up, no one goes near the Explorer. Stay vigilant everyone." Rick paused and took in Lori's stern expression. He knew that she was worried about bringing new people into the group; they would be more mouths to feed and food was already stretched thin as it was. His brow furrowed minutely. They would have to find other ways to find food before too long. Scavenging was hit and miss these days, and there was only so much that Daryl could bring back on his own. He glanced at her stomach. It wasn't swollen yet, but she would show soon enough, and she would need more nutrients and food than they could possibly provide. Bringing his attention back to the group, Rick's smile slid back into place. "I think we're being overly cautious, but it's better safe than sorry. Kids, why don't you stay by the RV with your moms?" Carl and Sophia grumbled their consent, slinking off to play a game by the front of the RV.

Shane was fuming. No one took his concerns seriously since Rick showed up. He used to be the leader of this band of fucking misfits, but now Rick's word was nearly the goddamn gospel. He eyed everyone as they dispersed, seemingly satisfied with the "decision." He scowled. More people meant more people to have to protect and more mouths to feed. They were dangerously low on both ammunition and food, and neither were particularly easy to come by. He glanced at Lori, who was dutifully following her husband, her eyes conspicuously looking anywhere but at him. He had to find another way to feed Lori and his baby.

* * *

><p>Sadie slowly opened her eyes, the sunlight blinding her for a moment. She winced and flung her arm over her eyes, accidentally elbowing Savannah, who was shoved against the passenger door in the backseat. Sadie stilled, waiting for her to wake up, but she was still out for the count. She smiled and clambered up to the front seat. They didn't usually sleep in the Explorer because it was so cramped since they'd filled the back with supplies. In the front passenger seat, she rolled her head, trying to work out a kink in her neck. She couldn't believe that they'd found more people. For a while, despite Sav's reassurances, she was sure that they were alone in the world. Sadie wrapped her arms around herself despite the heat. It was so eerie to watch people moving around, acting almost as if this were a regular camping trip instead of the end of the world. She could see an old man sitting on top of the RV while everyone else milled around, obviously trying to avoid coming close to, or even looking at, the Explorer. She frowned. This wasn't what she expected at all. She thought that there would be a sense of camaraderie, or relief at finding someone alive, but instead they just got mad. A flash of anger jolted through her. She and Sav had been through so much only to be yelled at and told they were unwanted. Well, they didn't need them! They could go back to how they were before. They were doing just fine before that man showed up. She didn't know why he stayed with these people when the first thing they did when he got back was pick a fight! He didn't seem like such a bad guy. He was just a little rude, but so was Sav.<p>

Sadie jumped a little when she saw a figure moving deep in the woods. Hunkering down, she watched it get closer and closer, but the people in the camp didn't seem to notice nor care. She wasn't about to call out to them, but her hand snaked towards Savannah, ready to wake her at the first sign of trouble. Right as she was about to shake her sister awake, Daryl stepped through the tree line and into the sunshine. Sadie's heart was beating a million miles per hour as a wave of relief washed over her. She'd had enough of Walkers for the next month, and she didn't know if she could've handled one more after the day she'd had. She leaned forward, trying to see what he had flung over his shoulder only to jerk back in disgust. There were squirrels and rabbits hanging on a string over his shoulder, bleeding right onto his shirt. Did he not know, or just not care? Her nose curled in distaste. She was more than happy to let Sav deal with the disgusting and dirty stuff. She'd rather stay as clean as she could, thank you.

Daryl could see Sadie sitting in the front seat of the Explorer, watching him intently. There was no sign of Savannah, but she was probably recuperating. He'd been eager to get out of camp and away from everyone, but now that he was back, he realized that he was kinda curious about those two broads. What the hell were they doin' out there anyway? Why drive around like that, drawin' the attention of every fucking Walker for miles? But the main question he had was why that girl was staring at him like he was a fuckin' Walker. He didn't think he was that dirty from hunting, but she didn't look like she was the manual labor type to begin with. Hell, that was gonna change pretty damn quick. Hoisting his kills higher up on his shoulder, Daryl stalked over to the Explorer and knocked on the passenger window. Sadie popped the door open quickly. "Be quiet! Sav's still asleep," the little girl whispered harshly at him.

Daryl raised a brow at her tone, unimpressed with her sass. "Come out here. Yer gonna learn tuh gut these." He lifted up the string of animals a bit, smirking when she blanched. This was gonna be fun.

"Why? I bet you could do it on your own." Sadie crossed her arms defiantly. Sure, he was old enough to be her dad, but he wasn't and she wasn't going to do what he told her to.

"Ya have to earn yer keep 'round here, so yer goin' tuh learn how tuh gut some squirrels. Ya may not be grown, but yer old 'nough to do sumthin'. No arguing. And dontcha think 'bout hollerin' fer yer sister. She needs tuh sleep today off. 'Sides, she needs a break from ya." Daryl grabbed Sadie's arm and pulled her towards his pickup, ignoring her ardent protests the entire way. It was only when he plopped her down with a rabbit in her hands that she shut up. He hunkered down next to her with his own rabbit, like his pa had done with him when he was the same age. Handing her a knife, he got comfortable and started explaining what they were about to do.

"Now, first ya have tuh cut the skin…"

* * *

><p><em>AN: Again, I don't normally do these, but there has been some confusion over the characters, so I want to know if I'm not writing clearly? In this chapter, I meant to depict Sadie as an ornery pre-teen, but she was coming off as someone older it seems. I've changed some things a bit, but I wanted to know if there was anything I could write to make it clearer? And just to be 100% clear: Savannah is the elder sister in her 20s and Sadie is 12- I just wanted to capture that typical pre-teen holier than thou attitude without Savannah's mature influences._


	9. The Supply Run

Savannah was sitting on the hood of her dingy green Explorer, feet propped up on the bumper, her elbows on her knees. It was hotter than sin, and her stained white t-shirt clung uncomfortably to her damp skin. She'd lived in the deep south for most of her life, but she knew she'd never get used to the damn humidity. With a huff, she irritably brushed her hair away from where it had stuck to her face. Her pa had always called her a 'delicate Southern flower' whenever she'd gripe about the heat, but there wasn't a damn thing delicate about her now. Her hair was a rat's nest, her shirt stained with sweat and gore, her jeans so torn up that they bordered on indecent, and her skin covered in a layer of grime that would've sent her grandma into a conniption. Southern flower her ass; there wasn't a single thing ladylike about her now. Not that there was before.

"Glenn! You comin' or what? We're burnin' daylight!" Savannah shouted across camp. Glenn poked his head out of his tent with a flush, flashing an apologetic smile.

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Just a minute." Savannah hopped off the hood and cocked her hip. The kid was taking for fucking ever, and she had better things to do than go on a supply run. It'd been decided in the three weeks since she and Sadie had joined the group that she and Glenn would be the ones to go on these runs. It wasn't a decision that sat very well with her, but it was part of their agreement. She would help bring in things they needed and they would protect her and her kid sister. It was a tenuous truce at best, but better than nothing. Slouching against the front of the Explorer, Savannah turned to watch Sadie. After the initial shock of their introduction to the group, she'd endeared herself to most everyone pretty quickly, much more so than her older sister. Where Sadie was doted upon by the women, Savannah remained on the fringes. She knew that Sadie craved normalcy, but she wasn't so sure that getting comfortable with this group was for the best, but for now, she'd let the kid be just that- a kid.

At the moment, Sadie was sitting in a faded red lawn chair, gutting a squirrel Daryl had brought back less than an hour ago. When Savannah had woken up after the first day, she'd found the two gutting his most recent catch, albeit Sadie doing so unwillingly. Since then, she'd almost gotten used to the task, doing it without too much complaint. Savannah smiled. The girl was still such a little princess when it came to dealing with gore and grime. Whenever it came to dirty jobs, she'd always deferred to Savannah, but in this case, Daryl wasn't hearing any of it. He claimed that she had to pull her own weight, and Savannah was glad for it. The girl needed something to do to keep her outta trouble, and the look of accomplishment she had when she was done was a sight for sore eyes these days.

"Ya goin' intuh town?" Daryl circled around the side of the Explorer before leaning against the hood next to her. Like everyone else, he was sweaty and covered in dirt. His shirt was stained with blood from lord knows where and patches of hair clung to his sweaty forehead.

Savannah nodded. "Got a coupla things we need, but Glenn is takin' his sweet time. I have half a mind tuh leave 'im." In her three weeks with the group, she'd noticed that her drawl got considerably more pronounced when she spoke with Daryl. It was something about his backwoods accent that brought out her own, and she couldn't say that she minded. At least she sounded as rough as she looked now.

Daryl glanced at her sideways. She'd fleshed out a bit since they'd joined the group. He figured that she'd been givin' all her food to the kid before, but he'd made sure that they'd both had enough to get by. Not like he was gonna go through all that shit to get 'em here just to have 'em starve. She was still jumpy as fuck and refused to explain about those scars a' hers, but she'd gotten used to their group. Still didn't like tuh talk tuh the bunch of 'em, but neither did he. He watched her twirl her baseball bat between her palms nervously. She didn't like goin' on runs and leavin' the kid behind, but they'd come to an understandin', the two of 'em. He'd watch the kid and she'd bring him what he needed, Rick's approval or no. A coupla days back, she'd come across a huntin' shop and brought back some new arrows. An' before that, she'd given him a burlap sack to take huntin'. Even if she couldn't hunt, she was damn useful.

"Just make sure that Chinaman watches yer back good, Vannuh," he grumbled around the thumb nail he was chewing on. Her mouth twitched into a half smirk.

"Yuh just wanna see what I bring yuh this time, Derle. Dun lie." She shoved herself off the bumper and hollered at Glenn again. "Yuh keep me waitin' anymore an' I'm gonna up and leave yer ass here, Glenn!" She hoisted her baseball bat onto her shoulder and cocked her hip out as Glenn bolted from his tent, red faced and panting. Savannah raised her eyebrow, knowing full well that Maggie was in that tent, and prolly just as flustered.

"Yuh can get back to whatever yuh were doin' in there when we get back, lover boy, but I dun appreciate havin' to wait," grumbled Savannah as she turned back to the Explorer, a blushing Glenn in tow. Daryl had since moved to the hood of his truck, a couple yards behind where Sadie was sitting, still working on those damned squirrels. If Savannah was lucky, they'd be eating something tonight that didn't smack of dueling banjos and daisy dukes.

She hopped into the driver's side of the Explorer, and without waiting for Glenn to get situated, she revved the thing to life and with a nod to Daryl and Sadie, backed out of camp and onto the desolate highway.

The highway was one of those two lane deals with tall loblolly pines on either side, swaying with the wind, their tall trunks like spires above the underbrush. The Explorer sped down the desolate roadway, dodging the occasional abandoned car, the windows rolled down despite Glenn's discomfort. He saw it as an unnecessary risk, but Savannah was as stubborn as a mule, so the windows remained down. They had already scoped out the place for the raid- it was a mom and pop corner store on the edge of a small town. The town was small enough that there shouldn't be too many walkers, not that that had stopped them before. They'd had a couple close calls, but they'd never really discussed how close they had actually been. That was part of why Savannah always brought things for Daryl; she knew that one day, it'd be too close of a call and he'd be saddled with Sadie, so she might as well butter him up before that day rolled around. She knew that Glenn wasn't too keen on her pilfering things that weren't on the list that Rick gave them, but he wasn't about to confront her about it and she didn't want to hear it. The first time she had done it, he'd spoken up, but a sharp look and even sharper words had stopped him from doing it again. It wasn't as if she didn't like the guy. He was nice and all, but nice only got you so far.

They pulled into the cracked parking lot to the side of the corner store. The cinderblock building was a nondescript grey with a faded wooden sign.

"Jack and Son's General, huh? Not exactly the Piggly Wiggly, but it'll have tuh do." Savannah sauntered up to the front while Glenn took the back, only to find no back door. One way in and one way out. He didn't like that one bit. Savannah tested the front door, hoping that no one had set the alarm, if this run down little store had one. The door swung open with a frighteningly loud creak and the pair froze, listening. There were no sounds from inside or out, save for their labored breathing. Her jaw set into a hard line, Savannah nodded to the right and slipped inside, Glenn soon after. They swept the store, their backs to the walls, and their eyes constantly roving until they were sure there weren't any nasty surprises. Taking a deep breath, Savannah stood from her cautious crouch and began to load up her backpack with canned goods while Glenn ransacked the medicine aisle. Rick had told them to get only a handful of things, including pain medicine, band-aids, batteries, and any food they could carry. Filling up her backpack, Savannah pulled another bag out and kept filling it with canned veggies and Chef Boyardee. Never did she think that she'd be glad to eat her old college student standbys, but they sure as hell were a welcome sight. Glenn had since moved on to the battery wall while she slipped over to the front counter, and reaching behind, grabbed a couple handfuls of Marlboros. Sadie always got so upset when she caught her smoking, so it had become a little habit of hers during her late night watch shifts, or behind Daryl's truck, where the cost of his silence was a pack or two. The first time he'd caught her smoking, she'd looked like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar, and the first thing outta her mouth was, "dun you dare tell Sadie." She smirked. You'd think she was the kid, sneakin' around like that.

A low cough brought her butt back over the counter. Glenn was waiting, giving her a disapproving look before she chucked a small box at him. He glanced down at it before turning beet red. She'd thrown condoms at him.

"Yer gonna need 'em, buddy. Yer not too discreet, yuh know." Savannah winked before disappearing into the liquor aisle, sure that his embarrassment would shut him up for a bit. She'd heard from Carol that Daryl enjoyed his liquor, but what good ol' Southern boy didn't? Knowing she didn't have a lot of time to be choosy, she grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniels and threw it in the bag before jogging out the front door, a still red Glenn not far behind. They didn't have much time to get situated in the Explorer before Glenn nudged Savannah none too gently. Not even half a mile down the road was a herd, the largest that they'd seen, ambling along aimlessly and seemingly unaware of their presence. Savannah rolled up the windows cautiously and hunkered down, pulling a blanket over herself and Glenn. She knew that if they drove off, the herd would see them and follow relentlessly, but if they played their cards right, the herd would pass 'em up completely. Her hand ghosted over the cb sitting in the center console, turning the volume all the way down before saying a damn thing.

"Y'all, a herd's comin'. I repeat, a herd's comin'. Best lay low. 'Bout fifty of 'em. On the highway." Putting the receiver back onto the holder, she froze and waited, ears straining to hear the shuffling of undead feet and their awful groans. Five tense minutes passed before they could hear them. Five minutes of adrenaline fueled anxiety. Their groans were so close that a jolt of panic swept through Savannah. She didn't mind how they looked, didn't like their smell, but dealt with it, but their groaning was intolerable. When she and Sadie were on their own, their moans would keep her up at night, scaring her to the depths of her soul. Often, she'd wake up in the middle of the night, swearing that she had heard a walker moaning to be let in. Because of this, she took as many night shifts as she could, just to be sure that she and Sadie were safe. Many nights, even when she wasn't on watch, she'd sit on top of the RV, or stand on the roof of the Explorer, just because she couldn't sleep. Carol had tried to give her sleeping pills once, but Savannah couldn't stand the thought. If something was gonna attack, she sure as shit wasn't gonna sleep through it.

Next came their shuffling. A couple of the more uncoordinated ones bumped into the Explorer, causing Glenn to gasp quietly. He knew that if one of them suspected that they were in the car, then they were done for. He didn't want to die, damnit! He was just starting to feel normal again, and it'd be just his luck if he died today. Savannah stared at him, willing him to keep quiet and keep his cool. She was not going to die because Casanova over there was scared of a coupla geeks tripping over themselves. If they didn't do anything foolish, they could just sit and wait for 'em to pass.

* * *

><p>"Y'all, a herd's comin'. I repeat, a herd's comin'. Best lay low. 'Bout fifty of 'em. On the highway." The radio crackled and Dale glanced at Rick in alarm. The whole camp was quiet, unsure if they'd imagined the woman's voice. Shane and Daryl were the first ones to take action. Shane began shouting orders, sending people scurrying around camp, while Daryl grabbed Sadie by her arm and shoved her into the cab of the pickup before throwing a blanket in on top of her.<p>

"Best hide yourself good, girl," he said gruffly and made to slam the door, but her hand shot out and grabbed hold of his. Her eyes were wide with fear.

"You're not gonna leave me alone, are ya?" her pleading tone gave him only a moment's pause.

"I've gotta make sure all these idiots dun get us killed. I'll be back, kid." Her hand reluctantly let go of his, and he slammed the door. Turning quickly back to the group, he covered up the squirrels he had caught and grabbed his crossbow. He'd be damned if a geek got him today.

* * *

><p>About half an hour later, when she was sure that the herd had passed safely, Savannah peeked out from under the blanket and sighed before throwing it in the back. Glenn slowly sat up, breathing a sigh of relief, head flung back against the headrest. The liquor that Savannah had nabbed was making a whole hell of a lot of sense right about now- what he wouldn't give for a drink after this. Savannah wasn't quite as relieved as Glenn, however. She wasn't sure if the camp had managed to escape the herd unscathed, or if they had even heard her transmission for that matter. Turning over the engine, she slowly made her way down the road, the windows rolled up this time. There was only one way to find out.<p> 


End file.
